shit I'm not even sure if the cat who's been living with me forever gives a shit about me, I bet a spider can't either
this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
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Probably no more than a goldfish I suspect.
Tarantular keeper for over a decade here.
No.
Yeah, I had a friend who kept a tarantula. It was a dick.
It's really the other way around. You get to learn the personality of the spiders (and may become fond of them).
But yeah, some species are just like that. We had a bunch of Pterinochilus murinus or "OBTs" (orange bamboo tarantula ... but also orange bitey thing). They are nasty. Always on edge, no chill. Just feeding them was a pain because you had to open the enclosure and they would come at you.
I love how these fuckers have a Wikipedia article that's like: "Yup. Their nickname sums it up. These are fucking motherfuckers that do nothing but look pretty. Do not touch them, do not keep them, they are just mean fuckers." And they stress that 'fucker' part like 4 times.
I knew it was a mistake to come in this thread.
You people are insane.
I don't know what you mean :)
My orange biting teleporter escaped one night. She went back home quietly, but damn if I wasn't scared for the cat.
~~She wasn't too mean unless you opened her hut,~~ Ya she was a little shit.
Your what biting spider??
Spider: [Teleports behind your cat] Nothing personal, kitty.
I like how it says "defensive and will bite if provoked," and apparently, according to this thread, opening their cage is sufficient provocation.
Why dont they give aggression displays? Normally it would make evolutionary sense to try and scare threats off before you attack them
You can tell they are spicy just from their looks.
I’m not an expert, so take my findings with a grain of salt, but the current scientific consensus seems to be:
We don’t know.
Recent studies suggest that the behavior of spiders is more complex than previously thought. They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms, such as the development of hunting strategies depending on their prey.
Keep in mind that these findings do not indicate any capability to love or to grow fond of someone. But there is an ongoing discussion about whether invertebrates should be considered sentient.
They show behavior that can’t be explained by simple automatisms
This has been long debunked and is also obvious to anyone that even dabbled in Entomology or adjacent fields. There are certainly very complex behaviors at work. But if it qualifies as sentient is a philosophical debate and not one of arachnology.
No, but they're objectively the best pet. Basically a walking plant who's bffs with a hole in the ground and hunts crickets by staying absolutely still until it's not.
Tarantulas are insects ferchrissake... They have the nervous system of a guitar amplifier.
Bumblebees can do simple math problems and like to play, which happens to be one of the current (as far as I am aware) scientific signs of intelligence.
Just because its a bug doesn't mean its stupid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ghws6YFsPJA
same way that because someone has a brain, doesn't make them intelligent
🤓 aktually, they are arachnids.
The spiders are not insects, but in a war they would side with the insects.
Would they though? In the war of "me vs annoying insects sneaking into my house", the indoor spiders I leave undisturbed seem pretty squarely on my side...
But would the insects want to side with them?
Only as long as their goals align.
I'm pretty sure a spider's only goal is eating insects.
Is this a Bill Bailey reference?
The locust squats upon the leaf, he's just bidin' his time...
I love Bill Bailey. I guess Insect Nation? I have to revisit the lyrics.
edit: not the guy you're replying to, but yes, that must be the reference!
Human slaves! In an insect nation!
Tarantulas are insects
You wanna fight?
They have the nervous system of a guitar amplifier.
I recommend this video. You can do amazing things with the nervous system of a guitar amplifier, it turns out.
That video first gave me the heebies and then shortly after gave me the jeebies.
Sorry about that. Jumping spiders are pretty much as cute as it gets with spiders. But Portia isn't a looker amongst them. Have this one:
Insect claims aside, this…
They have the nervous system of a guitar amplifier.
is a great line.
More like the nervous system of a noise musician's pedalboard so complex it might be able to talk to aliens.
Hence the scarequotes